Tank has gone crazy! Tried everything, now desperate!

[IsaacNewtonsMum]

Hi, quick overview; I bought my tank in april, fully cycled it and introduced Isaac to the tank in my. Had no issues, Isaac grew a massive appetite for earthworms and doubled in size. He's big strong an healthy. I went through a bacteria bloom in June or July which soon passed with no real drama. All was going well.

My mistake; I had researched loads of information from books and websites before purchasing Isaac and was informed that I should do 25% water change weekly and 90 - 100% water change monthly which I have done religiously since may. I now finally know that the 100% water changes were the worst possible things to do as I have been uncycling my tank each month. I check ammonia and nitrate weekly with liquid tests and have never before had issues with either.

The issue; four weeks ago my water suddenly went extremely cloudy so I did regular water changes and tests. After two weeks of cloudy water and a sudden drop of nitrate to 0 I got my local aquariums advice. They too tested my water as 0 ammonia and 0 nitrate. I was told it was not another bacteria bloom but I should change the carbon sponge of my filter to clear the cloudy water.

A week and a half later and no change. Again I took a sample to the aquarium; still 0 ammonia and 0 nitrate. This time I was told it WAS a bacteria bloom causes by the 90- 100% water changes. I was told to stop changing the water and just stick to the 25% weekly changes.

Bigger issue; I also changed the White sponge in my filter but left half the old sponge in as not to loose all the beneficial bacteria. Big mistake! I must have caused my tank o uncycle as tonight I suddenly have 0.25 ammonia and still no nitrate at all! I changed 50% of the water which removed the ammonia which is now 0 again FOR NOW until isaac poos again!

Just one more problem to top it all off; 20 minutes after the water change tonight I suddenly have 20 nitrate. I knew this couldn't be right so I tested the tap water. It is reading atleast 80 nitrate! The tap water here has never read anything more than traces of nitrate. This makes it so much harder to know when my tank ha re-cycled.

Isaac is still happy and healthy and has an excellent appetite. I am testing the ammonia every day and keeping a close eye on his behaviour and appearance and am ready to move him to a temporary container if the ammonia reads anything above 0 again.

I have ran out of ideas. The cloudy water will not go away, the filter seems to be have uncycled and now the tap water is suddenly full of nitrate.

Please help!

 

[auntiejude]

You can't 'un-cylce' your tank with a 100% water change - the bacteria live in the filter, and as long it hasn't dried out they will survive. But a regular 20-30% weekly change is best

Are you using liquid test kits or dipsticks? The sticks are know for not being very accurate, and can sometimes give irregular or false readings. If you haven't got liquid tests already you would do well to invest in one.

If you have cloudy water it is most likely a bacterial bloom, but it's not necessarily a bad thing - it may well be your good bacteria catching up. It could also be an algae bloom caused by the nitrate spike though, and that would also account for the nitrate drop. The best way to reduce nitrates other than water changes is to get a couple of plants. There is a list in the 'tank' section of suitable plants. Nitrates are not very toxic, and although the ideal reading in <40 it won't hurt your axie too much if it spikes above that occasionally.

Test your dechlorinated water before a water change rather than tap water - it will give you a better idea of what you are adding to your tank.
Keep up with the water changes as if you were cycling your tank. You may want to try the quick-start bacteria additive you can get from you LFS, I used the pearls that you bung in the filter to get mine up and running.

And from experience, carbon filter need to be changed about every 6-8 weeks.

If Isaac isn't that worried you shouldn't worry too much either.

 

[wandering]

Just a little thing that I learned. Ammonia is also excreted through the gills so you don't have to wait for poop to get ammonia in the tank. And your sponge should last for years without changing, just the odd squeeze in the removed tank water when water changing (if its clogged). The recommendations for changing filter sponges regularly and often are just plain wrong. If you have a prefilter floss (like I have in my Juwel filter) that needs changing when it gets clogged. Hope that helps.

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[IsaacNewtonsMum]

Hi thank you for replying.

I use liquid drop tests for ammonia and nitrate.

Tonight the water was high in ammonia and I didn't want to risk leaving Isaac in there so I have removed him into a temporary container (30litres). It has no filter so I will check ammonia readings twice daily and change his water 100% everyday. Will he be ok in there? He has a hide, air stone and cooling fan to make it as comfortable as possible.

The nitrates test is unreliable at the moment with the tap being high in nitrates but I will test declorinated tap water in a minute.

The tank must have un cycled when I changed the sponge and lost too much beneficial bacteria.

If I treat it as an un cycled tank and go through the cycling process again should this sort it out? And if I leave isaac in his temporary tank with daily 100% water changes will he be ok for the few weeks it takes for his tank to re cycle?

I cannot believe I have done this to him! He's growing so well and is so healthy but I've managed to ruin it by being too over cautious and cleaning way too much!

 

[layna]

You'll need to either use pure ammonia or add his dirty tub water to the tank to give it a daily ammonia source.
He will be fine in the tub with 100% daily water changes but its easier to have two tubs, then once you have transferred him to his clean tub, you can wipe the dirty tub to get rid of any gunk in it
Just remember to keep the tub lid covered so he cant jump out (dont seal a lid on though!)
Once your tank is recycled just stick to 20-30% weekly water changes and the occasional rinse of sponges that are in the filter (but only rinse in a bucket of tank water as the chlorine in a tap can kill the beneficial bacteria)
Dont beat yourself up about it, you were given bad advice and have corrected it now, soon he will be back in his tank and being all happy axolotly!

 

[oceanblue]

It may be worthwile contacting your water company. The EU limit for nitrate in drinking water is supposed to be 50mg/L so while they will say your test kit is unreliable it is wise to tell them for your health's sake as well as your pets. It probably represents farm runoff into the water supply in recent wet weather. Ask them to confirm the current levels and deal with them.

The main hotspot for high nitrate levels in the UK is East Anglia, an Isac Newton associated area! You haven't posted a location just a guess!

 

[IsaacNewtonsMum]

Thank you,

He temporary tank is covered with a net so he stays cool. He actually seems happier in there as the temp is remaining 16'C or under and there's lovely clear water.

I have been putting his poo and ammonia water in the tank to help cycle and 'Interpet Filter Start' which I used when first cycling the tank. It was very effective then so fingers crossed for a rapid recovery of that lovely beneficial bacteria! (never thought I could miss bacteria so much).

I'm buying a new nitrate test kit tomorrow just incase it has partly solidified and now inaccurate. I'm going to have to buy a nitrite kit anyway while cycling so might aswell.
I will also call the water company to check as contamination levels can change suddenly in tap water.

Me and little man are from the midlands; the name Isaac Newton came from my boyfriend due to Isaac's relation to newts and my interest in science!

Thank you everyone for your help and advice, I really love this forum.

Once I'm over this there will be no more 100% changes and new filter sponges until absolutely necessary! He's my li'le 'lotl so I've been abit over cautious I think, best chill out and let the filter so it's thing!

 

[wandering]

He will be fine in a small tank with daily water changes. I grew some young ones last year each in a little tank with daily water changes until they were six inches long. It became a bit tedious changing water in 9 tanks and I was very glad to put the two that I kept into a cycled tank when it was ready. 16 degrees will be ideal.

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[IsaacNewtonsMum]

Hi,
Just a little update;

Isaac has been in his temporary tank for a couple of weeks now and his usual tank has finally recycled so, if all stays well, he will back home in a couple of days or so. I have found a bigger tank too which I will be purchasing asap as I have found that the cloudy water was due to his rapid growth meaning he now requires a larger water volume (I will be upgrading from a 48l to a 98l). More cycling to look forward to!

The daily water changes have been tedious but worth it.

Thank you every one for replying! I really appreciate it!

 

[layna]

When you get your new tank, run a sponge filer along side the one in his old tank for a couple of days, then put it in the new tank, it will kick start the cycle and when its done just move his filter from his small tank over too (if its the correct size for his new tank)